


To Kill a King

by anarchycox



Series: Knitter Eggsy Universe [5]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Conspiracies, plotting against leaders, putting pieces into place, transition story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 09:45:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5159168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Harry hadn't returned from Kentucky, Caradoc would have been made king. He's always said he was fine with the table's decision to make Harry king. But the direction that Harry has taken the Kingsman since becoming Arthur, well it is time for Caradoc to perhaps claim the throne.</p><p>This story really requires knowledge of the Knitter Eggsy Universe to really make sense.</p><p>Read this after reaching Chapter 11 of A Knight's Guide.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Kill a King

**Author's Note:**

> right so let's dive into the meat of this shall we? This story will be setting up backstory on Caradoc and bringing the big main conflict for A Knight's Guide into play. It just was different enough to warrant it's own story

"Caradoc, your vote please." Merlin asked quietly.

Caradoc looked where Harry sat, crutches beside his chair, eye and a good portion of his head bandaged. They stared at each other. "Yes I vote for Harry as Arthur. And for Mr. Unwin as Galahad."

Harry bowed his head slightly. 

Merlin smiled, "The vote is unanimous. Harry is Arthur. All hail our new king." There was polite applause save for Eggsy who cheered. "And we confer Gary Unwin as the newest Galahad. Congratulations lad." The smile on both Harry and Merlin's face was fond. "Harry I cede the table to ye."

Harry looked around the table. "I fear I have a great deal of catching up to do. Do any of you have any ideas how to precede immediately?"

"I had a chance to put together a small report that may be of use to the table. Though I did design it without a Galahad in mind, but I'm sure our newest agent would be happy to have a little more training time." Caradoc smiled, polite.

Eggsy bristled at the implication but could feel Harry's gaze and kept his mouth shut.

Caradoc stood and laid out a plan for how to best use the Kingsman over the next three months. Merlin added a little input as did agents who had ideas. But every time Eggsy tried to interject, Caradoc just rolled over him, ignored him but in such a way that two thirds of the table didn't even realize that Eggsy had a point on anything.

Afterwards Harry pulled Eggsy into his office. "Don't like him. If he had been king, no way would I have a job right now." Eggsy said.

"Perhaps, but luckily I am king." Harry grinned even as he swallowed numerous painkillers. "And it's good to be king."

"You really think that?" Eggsy asked.

"Dear god no, but to keep others out of power who would just keep us as we were, well then I'll wear the crown. Maybe have a cape made."

Down the hall a different conversation was being had. "Caradoc, I would have supported your bid." Pelleas said quietly. "You were set to be voted in as the next Arthur before the call from Kentucky came."

"I know you would have, but you would have perhaps been the only one, and we both would have looked fools. Two to stand against is not enough to stop a king from being crowned." Caradoc pat Pelleas on the shoulder. "And to stand against the miraculous return of Harry Hart? No, we would have lost."

"What do we do then?" Pelleas asked. He was a good man, a decent agent, but perhaps a little too eager to please. Caradoc had been his sponsor and that had always tipped his loyalty more to him than the table.

"We do our job, act as the gentleman we are. Keep our eyes open, watch. Listen. And we see what happens." Caradoc smiled. "It's Harry Hart, he'll do something foolish at some point. That is what he does."

******************

Caradoc and Pelleas were playing snooker in the games room, with Bedievere, Lamorak, and Kay playing three handed bridge.

"So it seems that Merlin finally made a move." Kay said.

"Oh?" Lamorak asked, he had been away for 3 weeks.

"He and Galahad are now a couple."

"Ah. Galahad has turned out to be a decent sort. Certainly appreciate everything he's made for all of us. Didn't expect a boy that rough to have such a delicate skill." Bedievere added.

"He has some of Bors excesses though, without that gentleman's innate cheer and charm to go along with it." Pelleas said. He tapped a red ball and stepped away from the table.

Caradoc took position. "I'm not sure it is in the best interest of the Kingsman for an agent to be in a relationship with Merlin. Can we trust them both to do the job as is needed." Caradoc cleared the table.

"I trust Merlin." Kay said. All the men nodded.

"Of course, we all do. But I just hope that he never has to choose between the job and his date."

The men all went about their games.

********************

"Arthur, am I given to understand that you have allowed civilians onto the estate?" Caradoc asked.

Harry sat behind his desk. "Eggsy's knitting circle yes."

"Why? That is against the rules." Caradoc adjusted his cuffs. "Letting random gossipy old ladies onto the estate does not seem like the height of secrecy and discretion."

"Doris retired at the rank of Superintendent of the WRENs, otherwise known as a Captain of Her Majesty's Navy. Mrs. Blackwell worked for MI-5 as secretary to the senior officials. Mrs. Carson is a preacher's daughter. Liz is a hacker and Sarah works for one of the biggest law firms in the city. In other words these are women who know about keeping secrets." Harry looked stern. "Eggsy has not woken, having people around may help him wake."

"Tell me, would you go to these lengths for any agent, or just because he was yours." Caradoc stood. "No need to answer Arthur, I'll see myself out."

******************

"Merlin, why did you call White Hart on the Loose?" Caradoc asked walking into Merlin's office.

"Bedievere, ye are cleared to fly. You are there to act as pilot only, barring any emergencies." Merlin said into his comm.

"Understood. Over and out." Bedievere said.

Merlin spun in his chair. "Percival went missing on his mission."

"So you called the mission a go at the 24 hour mark. Still we should have been informed the minute he went missing so that we could all properly plan." Caradoc's voice held a hint of reproach.

"He went missing 35 minutes ago now. His glasses showed him being captured. I informed Arthur, and then the White Hart signal was required."

"So he broke the time protocol and went off hair brained on his own with Agent Bedievere to act solely as pilot."

"Not at all. Galahad and Tristan are with him as well."

"One agent taken, and three knights and the king gone after him. Excellent use of our resources there. Tell me Merlin how is our budget holding up under Arthur's aegis."

Merlin's gaze was cold. "I have matters to attend to. Like bringing our men home."

"Of course." Caradoc left.

*****************

Caradoc had been quietly feeling out people for months. A comment here, a question there. Just to see how people felt about Harry as Arthur. He didn't bother with Galahad or Lancelot, he knew they would be loyal to the core.

Likewise he kept any comments to Percival very vague, only asking after Arthur's headaches, how the man handled the field after being so long out of it.

With Tristan he just made a remark about the importance of professionalism, of taking the job seriously, for it was a serious business.

To Bedievere when flying home he made a comment about falling standards, the youth not truly appreciating the sacrifices this job required.

For Ector, Gawain, and Bors, he played the same tune - Harry's preferential treatment of the newest agents.

When talking with Kay, he mention his worry about falling security standards, how too many knew of them now, how dangerous that was for them all.

With Lamorak, Caradoc pointed out that Harry's new rules meant so much more work for their recovery specialist.

Pelleas needed no whispers in his ear. He supported Caradoc.

And Caradoc was careful, he knew everyone had great affection for their Arthur, but still there were ways to cast doubt. Express concerns about the tremor in Harry's hand, mention that he found a lovely herbal tea that he hoped helped with Harry's painful headaches. He expressed care for agents who were sent out back to back, while Galahad stayed home to play with yarn.

All he had to do was plant seeds, see if they would take.

*******************

Pelleas barely knocked before walking into Caradoc's office. "I suppose you've seen the email?"

"I have." Caradoc said simply.

"I cannot say that I expected anything like that."

"I don't think anyone did."

"Caradoc, this could cripple the organization. Harry is going too far. The cost, the chance of exposure, what is he thinking?" Pelleas asked. He adored his job, being a part of something so important, and he feared the ruination of it.

Caradoc played on that fear very well.

"I fear he is not thinking. He is doing what Harry did so well in the field. React to stimuli. But what saves your life on a mission is not what will run the Kingsman. A man who just reacts and reacts instead of thinking all the options through, picking carefully for the good of the whole will bring the whole operation crumbling down."

"What do we do Caradoc?" Pelleas asked.

"You are friends with Lamorak, keep talking to him, be subtle, but express your very justified concerns. I'll continue to talk with Bedievere, a few the others. Harry must be ousted, and soon." Caradoc's face was cold.

"We're not talking..." Pelleas, thought of the last Arthur.

"Of course not, unlike Galahad we are proper gentlemen. We keep using our words, they are a mighty weapon. And then when the time comes, when we have enough people behind us, we call a meeting, ask for a vote of no confidence in our leader. Simple, proper." Caradoc smiled. "A king need not be killed by a sword to be declared dead."

Pelleas nodded and left.

Caradoc looked at his list.

He and Pelleas were on one side. Galahad, Lancelot, and Percival were on the other.

Everyone else was in between and he moved them about regularly, tried to figure out where they might lean.

Because Caradoc knew the charters of their organization better than anyone. He had studied them carefully when he thought he would be king. And there buried in all the rules was a little fact.

12 knights. Anyone could call for a vote of non confidence in Arthur if they had a list of 5 specific incidents that proved Arthur incompetent to rule.

But the trick was you didn't need a majority to oust a king. Caradoc didn't need 6 knights of the table to side with him.

Only four in total were needed to end a king's reign.

 


End file.
